Dec 5, 2011
Millionaire taxes wind up costing everyone more. Jay Hancock of the Baltimore Sun cannot understand why the State of Maryland is rapidly becoming devoid of the dreaded Millionaire. He can't fathom why a little thing like a 25% increase in Millionaire income taxes could possibly encourage wealthy citizens to flee the State for more Millionaire friendly climes. And Hancock is part of the problem. He, like his state's leadership, doesn't understand that self-employed high networth citizens are fleeing high tax jurisdictions all over the country.
California, New York, New Jersey, Massachussets, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois are all seeing these people depart for friendlier low/no income tax states such as Texas, Florida, Tennesse, Washington State and New Hampshire. Whatever your preference for climate, location or quality of life, there's a lower tax state inviting you to flee. It will evenutally get to the point where the only people left in these high tax states will be those who can't get out.
In the past decade, lower taxing states have far outgrown high tax states, both in population and economic performance. The last state to impose an income tax, Connecticut, has seen job growth fall to dead last of the 50 states. There must be a reason!
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